Magnetic core matrix storage systems



Aug. 17, 1965 Q MERZ 3,201,768

MAGNETIC GORE MATRIX STORAGE SYSTEMS Fig.2

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G. MERZ Aug. 17, 1965 G. MERZ MAGNETIC CORE MATRIX STORAGE SYSTEMS 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Jan. 2l, 1959 lll:

INVENTOR.

Ga MERZ United States Patent 3,2tl1,768 MAGNE'EIC CRE MATPX STORAGESYSTEMS Gerhard Merz, Remmelshausen, Germany, assigner t internationalStandard Eieetrie Corporation, New York, NX., a corporation of Delaware@riginal appiication dan. 2l, 1959, Ser. No. 7S8,178. -ivided and thisapplication Get. 8, 1964, Ser. No. '392,064

Claims priority, appiieation Germany, Feb. 7, i958,

a einen. (ci. sae-rm) This invention relates to storage sys-tems and inparticular to buiier storage systems using magnetic core matrices. It isa division of a copending application entitled Magnetic-Core StorageMatrix, in Particular for Buiier Storages inTelecom-munieation-Technical Switching Systems, Serial No. 788,178 tiledby the inventor herein on January 21, 1959 and assigned to the assigneeof this application.

ln the laccompanying drawings there is shown:

In HG l, a conventional type of magnetic-core storage matrix,

`in FIG. 2, a magnetic-core storage matrix according to the invention,and

`ln FIG. 3, an example of practical employment of a magnetic-corestorage matr-ix according to the invention.

A storage device which is used in the above mentioned manner merely as abuffer storage is, for example, adapted to store informations arrivingin any possible or even irregular rhythm, and to transfer suchinformations in the same order of succession, but in a different rhythmupon request.

To this end it has already become known to use parallel storage devices,of which one is schematically shown in FlG. 1 of the accompanyingdrawings. In this type of storage device or register, the binary digitsrepresenting a binary number, are in common recorded on or read from,the lines 12. The number of binary digits per line, which arecharacterized by a yes-no-position, amounts to about 4 7, andrespectively corresponds to a binary number .or a signal in one of thecustomary codes. The number of lines may be adapted -to the respectiverequirements and may lie accordingly between l() and 500.

As is well known, cores (FIG. l, 11) consisting of a ferromagneticmaterial with .an approximately rectangular characteristic are used insuch storage devices. When denoting the current by i0 at which a corelll will just change from its `one magnetic condition to the other oneand the current by i0/2 at which the present condition would Ibemaintained, the process of recording the information to the storagedevice is performed in such a way that current pulses im are not onlyapplied to that particular line into which the information is supposedto be recorded, but also to those particular columns 13, whose cores aresupposed to be marked Within this line. For the reading-out purpose, theline 12 to be read is acted upon Iby a current pulse whose amplitude z'oand the sign of which is opposite t-o that used in the writing in orrecording process.

In Ithe hitherto conventional methods, centralized pulse genera-tors areused for generating the writing or reading pulses for the lines l2.These pulses are transferred via gating circuits, `such as transistorsor magnetic cores,

.to the lines l2 of the .storage matrix. The equipment and devices whichare necessary to this end are generally very expensive, especially forthe connecting through of the read-in current pulses, whose .amplitudeis generally relatively high. Especially in the case of small types ofstorage devices, considerable investment is required for the commondevices.

For the purpose of reducing this investment in circuitry, the inventionprovides a magnetic-core storage matrix, preferably for the use inintermediate or buter storages in switching systems of telecommunicationexchanges, arranged in such a way that the wires or 4conductors of thelines respectively pass through the cores of the next line, or of one ofthe next lines, either twice or several times in the reversed sense, andin this ar rangement the first line of the matrix is reckoned asfollowing after the last one in a cyclical succession.

One exemplified embodiment relating to such an arrangement is shown inFiG. 2 of the accompanying drawings. The magnetic-cores 21 offerromagnetic material with a rectangular characteristic are arranged inthe form of a matrix. ln the present example each row compirses fourcores, corresponding to a binary recording of four binary digits perbinary number. The wires or conductors 23 extending through the columnsare arranged in the conventional manner. On the other hand, the wires 22of the individual lines are conducted in such a way that they pass atfirst, in a predetermined sense, e.g. from the left-hand side towardsthe righthand side, through the cores of the line and are thereafterlooped to the next successive line in, e.g. two or more loops 24, -inthe reverse sense, viz., from t-he righthand side towards the left-handside. The outputs 26 thereof are then conducted in common to ground.This kind of displacement is repeated in all of the lines in such a waythat the wire coming from the line input of the nth line at first runsthrough the cores of this line and is looped lthereafter in the oppositesense twice or more times through the cores of the (n+1)th line. Fromthe last line the wire com-ing from the line input is looped back viav25 towards the first line, in order t0 pass twice or more times throughthe cores in the opposite sense.

Now when transferring a pulse with the amplitude io/z to` apredetermined line, ,those cores within this line whose column input-sare supplied with a pulse of just `the same size -or amplitude arecaused lto change in-to the other magnetic condition. At the .same time,and by the same yline pulse just characterizing or marking the line tobe acted upon, the cores in the next line with twice or more the numberof turns or windings wound in the opposite 4direction and which haveaccidently assumed the operating condition are partially or fullyrestored depending on the number of turns. Accordingly, the next line isfundamentally ready to -rece-ive a new recording vin this way, and byemploying only a single kind of pulse, it is possible to carry out thewrite-in as well as the read-out operation. Since for the read-outoperation, the same wires assigned to the individual columns are `usedas output wires for the write-in operation the two processes, of course,are not performed simultaneously. In fact, both the write-in and readoutoperations can be controlled alternately.

longer interval.

atomes The substantial advantage of the inventive arrangement is to beseen in the fact that for both operations a s-ingle group or kind ofline pulse is required by means of which, in small types of storagedevices, a saving of switching means can be achieved which is ratherconsiderable when compared with the total expense. To this there is tobe added the further advantage that lalso the control output for 4thegating circuit is lower for the read-out operation, e.g. correspondingto that of the switching transistor.

Of course, the arrangement can also be such that the wires 22 extendingthrough the lines are not led through the cores of the following line,but one or more lines are skipped. Accordingly, the wire extending fromthe input of the nth line will then not be looped via the (n-I-Uth line,but will be looped further via the (n-|m)th lines. In this case, ofcourse, in counting further after reaching the last line of the matrix,counting is continued with the first line. l

With reference to FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings, one exemplifiedembodiment relating to the practical application of such a type ofmatrix according to the invention, will now be briefly described. Firstof all, it is pointed out that informations of any kind arriving in anyirregular rhythm, are supposed to be converted into informations of adifferent kind which, in turn, are read in a likewise irregularsuccession differing from the rhythm of the incoming informations. Thisis the problem, for example, whenever sequences of digits which aretransferred by means of a key selection have to be correspondinglyevaluated for the employment with a system operating with trains ofpulses. The informations as arriving from A and represented, forexample, by a voltage code, are then converted by the converting deviceU1 into a binary code, Upon arrival, the individual informations aresuccessively stored in the individual lines of the matrix storage deviceM, and, when required, are requested in turn by the converter U2, forbeing transferred, for example, in the shape of pulse chains, towards B.The matrix is composed, in the manner as already described withreference to FIG. 2, of the magnetic-cores 31, in which case `the wires33 extending through the columns are used on one hand for the writing-inof the information from U1 and, on the other hand, for readingouttowards U2. The individual wires 32, corresponding tothe lines, whichrespectively pass through the cores of the nextsuccessive line twice ormore times vin the opposite direction, in a manner shown in FIG. 2, areconnected in a regular cycle, via a distributor V, to the pulsegenerator. The distributor V which, for reasons of simplicity, is shownin FIG. 3 like a rotary selector, consists of gating circuits, e.g. ofgating or switching transistors. The stepping-on of the distributor iseffected by chains of pulses A, between which there is inserted asomewhat The number of pulses of each chain of pulses corresponds to thenumber of lines. If a writingin is performed in one line, then thedistributor will receive an additional pulse so that its switching cyclewill now start with the following row (line). In this way, the read-outtimes a and the write-in times b are respectively determined by means ofthe pulse chains and the interval lying between them, in a rhythm whichis independent of the storage request, as well as the read-outinstruction.

With respect to the write-in and read-out operations, the pulses IIwhich are fed via the gating circuit T to the distributor V aredelivered by a generator which has not been shown. The gating circuit Tis controlled by the converters U1 and U2 in such a way that the pathfor the pulses II is blocked during the read-out times a, as long as theconverter U2 is seized by the transmission of a train of pulses. As soonas this path becomes free, the pulses II will be permitted to passduring the read-out time a. This is effected in such a way that afterthe stepping-on of the distributor V, at leastloneread-out pulse istransferred to the line. As soon as the distributor has been switched toa line preceding a line containing an information, this information willbe transferred to U2, because the pulse in this following line passesthrough a wire that is several times looped through the cores in thereversed direction of passage. It will effect the magnetic restoring ofthe cores, and cause the transfer of an induced pulse upon thecorresponding wires 33. As soon as the information contents have beentransferred to U2, the latter will effect the new blocking of the gatingcircuit.

On the other hand, in the presence of a storage request, that is, afterthe arrival of an information from A at U1, the gating circuit T will beaffected from there during the write-in time b in such a way that theline whichv is just at the end of the reading cycle, which is the nextsuccessive free line, will receive a pulse II, likewise the converterU1. The columns which are connected by the converter U1 in accordancewith the desired binary digits, likewise receive a pulse II at the sametime. In this way, the information to be transmitted is stored at thedesired points of the matrix in a binary code.

While I have described above the principles of my invention inconnection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood thatthis description is made only by way of example and not as a limitationto the scope of my invention as set forth in the objects thereof and inthe accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A buffer storage system for temporarily storing incoming informationcomprising a magnetic core storage matrix arranged in columns and rows,each of said cores having a first and a second stable state, primarywinding means interconnecting all of the cores in each of said columns,secondary winding means interconnecting all of the cores in each of saidrows, and tertiary winding means interconnecting all of the cores ineach of said rows and connected to the secondary winding but beingopposite in direction to said secondary winding means, said tertiarywinding means having at least twice as many turns as said secondarywinding means, distributor means operated responsive to timing pulses tocyclically connect to said secondary winding, binary converter meansoperated responsive to said incoming information to selectively connectto said primary winding means, gating means normally transmittingoperating pulses through said distributor means and said secondarywinding means to said tertiary winding means to drive said cores to saidfirst stable state, means operated responsive to the connection of saidbinary converter means to said selected primary winding fortransmittingsaid operating pulses to said selected primary winding means to drivesaid cores simultaneously receiving said operating pulses over saidprimary and secondary winding means to said second stable state, andmeans connected to said primary windings for reading out storedinformation by detecting the change of cores from said second to saidfirst stable state.

2. A buffer storage system for temporarily storing information and forperiodically reading-out said stored information comprising squarehysterisis loop magnetic core matrix means wherein said cores arearranged in columns and rows, each of said cores having a first stablemagnetic state when no information is stored therein and a second stablemagnetic state when information is stored therein, winding meansassociated with said cores, said winding means comprising a primarywinding serially connecting each of said cores in each of said columns,a secondary winding serially connecting each of said cores in each ofsaid rows, a tertiary winding serially connected to each secondarywinding, said tertiary winding being serially connected to all of thecores in the row succeeding said row having said serially connectedsecondary winding, said tertiary winding further having at least twiceas many turns as said secondary winding, distributor means cyclicallyconnected to each of said secondary windings, responsive to timingpulses for transmitting op- QJ erating pulses through said secondary andtertiary Windings, binary converter means operated responsive toincoming information for selectively transmitting operating pulsesthrough said primary windings, said operating pulses having a valuewhereby the simultaneous receipt of said operating pulses in the primaryand secondary winding of a core are required to drive said core fromsaid rst stable magnetic state to said second stable magnetic state andthe exclusive receipt of an operating pulse in said tertiary windingdrives said core from said second to said first stable magnetic state,and readout means including said primary winding operated responsive toany of said cores changing from said second Stable magnetic state tosaid lirst magnetic stable state for providing output pulses.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS IRVING L. SRAGOW,Primary Examiner.

BERNARD KONICK, Examiner.

1. A BUFFER STORAGE SYSTEM FOR TEMPORARILY STORING INCOMING INFORMATIONCOMPRISING A MAGNETIC CORE STORATE MATRIX ARRANGED IN COLUMNS ANUD ROWS,EACH OF SAID CORES HAVING A FIRST AND A SECOND STABLE STATE, PRIMARYWINDING MEANS INTERCONNECTING ALL OF THE CORES IN EACH OF SAID COLUMNS,SECONDARY WINDING MEANS INTERCONNECTING ALL OF THE CORES IN EACH OF SAIDROWS, AND TERTIARY WINDING MEANS INTERCONNECTING ALL OF THE CORES INEACH OF SAID ROWS AND CONNECTED TO THE SECONDARY WINDING BUT BEINGOPPOSITE IN DIRECTION TO SAID SECONDARY WINDING MEANS, SAID TERTIARYWINDING MEANS HAVING AT LEAST TWICE AS MANY TURNS AS SAID SECONDARYWINDING MEANS, DISTRIBUTOR MEANS OPERATED RESPOSNIVE TO TIMING PULSES TOCYCLICALLY CONNECT TO SAID SECONDARY WINDING, BINARY CONVERTER MEANSOPERATED RESPONSIVE TO SAID INCOMING INFORMATION TO SELECTIVELY CONNECTTO SAID PRIMARY WINDING MEANS, GATING MEANS NORMALLY TRANSMITTINGOPERATING PULSES THROUGH SAID DISTRIBUTOR MEANS AND SAID SECONDARYWINDING MEANS TO SAID TERTIARY WINDING MEANS TO DRIVE SAID CORES TO SAIDFIRST STABLE STATE, MEANS OPERATED RESPONSIVE TO THE CONNECTION OF SAIDBINARY CONVERTER MEANS TO SAID SELECTED PRIMARY WINDING FOR TRANSMITTINGSAID OPERATING PULSES TO SAID SELECTED PRIMARY WINDING MEANS TO DRIVESAID CORES SIMULTANEOUSLY RECEIVING SAID OPERATING PULSES OVER SAIDPRIMARY AND SECONDARY WINDING MEANS TO SAID SECOND STABLE STATE, ANDMEANS CONNECTED TO SAID PRIMARY WINDINGS FOR READING OUT STOREDINFORMATION BY DETECTING THE CHANGE OF CORES FROM SAID SECOND TO SAIDFIRST STABLE STATE.